Courthouse Butte Rock, Sedona, AZ

Nature pulls at your heartstrings when in Sedona, AZ! Your spirit soars as you take in the rhapsody of such beauty. All around, there is another breath-taking sight to behold. Even when the weather turns bad, it is incredible, for the purity of the air provides for dramatic lighting not often seen elsewhere.

For an artist and/or photographer, it is almost overload the first time you visit. I have since been back several times and am just now able to attempt to record that beauty in paint. I was priveledged to return to Sedona with my daughter, Missy, and her family. What a feast for the soul as we watched the sun set from the airport as it cast it's golden fire on Coffepot Rock and Courthouse Butte!

'Courthouse Butte'   (Sedona, AZ)       oil on panel 9 x 12"          $300



This original oil painting can grace your wall if you are the first to press the button!

Keep watching; I will soon post the painting of Cathedral Rock.

Thank you for letting me be a part of your day.... -Ruth Ann

Great frame find and a WIP...

When I spied this little gold frame in the thrift store, I kept telling myself not to buy another frame! Then I rationalized that it was #1..wood...#2 in great shape...#3 a great price! So I caved...little did I know that the miniature that I did a couple of weeks ago and put in a black leather mat so it could be floated, was perfect for this frame. At least it was after I added the little black grosgrain ribbon border. To me it looks as if they were made for each other!

                                              1 1/2 x 21/4" acrylic on hardboard panel
                                                         ***********************

Now my next dilema, is how to finish this WIP ( work in progress) of a rooster...

I am totally open to suggestions; I considered suggesting a farm scene behind. I tried a couple of other things by laying mylar/acetate over the painting and painting around it. Glad I did, because I didn't like what I added so I was able to just wipe the plastic and was back to square one!

I look forward to your feedback and ideas........ thanks, Ruth Ann

Still painting in Paris...

Well, happy to say Paris is still feeling pretty wonderful! Day 2 of the workshop and I am
'in the zone!'

The day flew by, as I was into putting my stroke of invention and interpretation on the canvas; what freedom! Yummy color....makes you want to dance! French sounding music, playing ever so softly in the background,  sure help to set the mood. I can hardly wait until tomorrow!

                                                    12 x 12" oil on canvas panel

I have a few wonderful photos to choose from of my own for tomorrow...not sure if I am brave enough to try our Sedona or not but maybe....stay tuned!

Painting in PARIS...

What a wonderful place to be!     Paris, KY.....horse country....bluegrass for sure! For a small town of about 10,000, it has an amazing amount to offer! Great vista views, rolling countryside dotted with horses or  cattle or bales of hay...........colorful and architechturaly interesting buildings galore!

The downtown is vibrant and alive! Great places to eat, a wide variety of UNIQUE shops. The buildings are so very different and interesting with columns both large and small; the world's tallest three story building , called 'Paradise'........a great place for Chinese cuisine and some of the best service anywhere.

I am finding my artistic voice!!! What a joy........struggling but SO enjoying it. The time here is just whizzing by!

Here is my attempt from day # 1...

12 x 12" oil on canvas panel

 

I am quite pleased with it! Learning how to say more with less.........

Dare to Dream BIG!

How do you describe an experience that is beyond your wildest imagination? If you can be brave enough to ask for what you want, you may be surprised how easily it can become a reality.

For those that enjoy the wide open spaces, gentle rolling hills, horses and salt-of-the-earth people, you would find a little piece of heaven on earth, in easton, KS. The place recently given birth to is known as American Frontier, the proud parents being Robert 'Cowboy' Culbertson and his wonderful wife, Donna!


They, along with the blood, sweat and tears of many, such as the 'boys from Illinois, Jim Hatzell, Carol  and Vane Huggins, have built what Richard and Mignon DeShon determined was a dream that needed to be a reality.


The week I was privileged to be there, included hard work from sun up to sundown, but to watch the buildings transform into a well-loved town was incredible.

Once in a lifetime experience!

Hollywood has a new film set! Showing up early to check things out turned out to be the start of a true adventure. Seems they were in need of a sign painter...... and there I was. So Monday morning we started planning the layout and lettering for sign #1. All was well until the sky turned dark and winds picked up. We got the sign moved to the livery just in time, before the hours-long deluge drenched everything!

Tromping through the mud and mini rivers that formed , we still managed to keep the hammers and paint brushes in full motion.

Sun up to sun down, we all worked to bring the dream of  Robert  'Cowboy' Culbertson to reality. What a privledge to work alonside the likes of Jim Hatzell,  from films such as 'Dancing with Wolves'...and most of the 'Boys from Illinois'...

They rarely stopped to take a break and I followed suit, knowing time would fly and we needed to finish by Thursday night, before the unveiling on Friday.

Cowboy and his wife, Donna, had decided to honor Richard DeShon by naming the hotel after him; but we had a tough time keeping a sign that big hidden from him when he showed up on location!





Stay tuned.....

What a treat when he saw the sign;
he was delighted and planned to surprise his wife, Mignon,
 by not telling her before she came to see the town herself.

 

Trial and error....try again!

Experimenting in the miniature painting field. I decided to try painting it even smaller, to qualify for a 'true miniature'.  I went for less painting and tried to keep it from being over-worked. I also wanted the foreground boards to have the warm underglow that I remember from when I took this shot....

This new attempt is 2 x 3"........

 

Now to find a frame.........(guess I should have picked a size I had a frame for.)

 

Going to go back and experiment with the bluebirds that I captured recently....

 

Thanks for looking.......